Delivery bed



S. KARLSON July 21, 1942.

DELIVERY BED Filed Sept. 23, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l July 21, 1942. s. KARLSON I 2,290,191

DELIVERY BED Filed Sept. 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 51???- W BB I)??? e45 4 J. 44 /1702? S. KARLSON July 21, 1942.

DELIVERY BED Filed Sept. 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 21, 1942 DELIVERY BED Stig Karlson, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Stine-Werner, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Application September 23, 1939, Serial No. 296,315 In Sweden March 7, 1939 3 Claims.

In the delivery beds as hitherto known, it is customary to arrange the portion of the bed carrying the legs of the patient to be swingable, so as to permit of being adjusted during the proceeding delivery into a suitable position of inclination relatively to the portion of the bed carrying the trunk of the patient. On the whole, this construction can be regarded as being satisfactory as far as a normal delivery is concerned when the head of the foetus is presented foremost, but it is highly unpractical when the delivery does not proceed in the normal way but, for instance, as a delivery with the breech of the foetus presented foremost. In the latter case, the position of the patient must be changed into a so-called short bed position, the patient being then generally dragged entirely into the bed portion carrying the legs of the patient, which is comparatively troublesome and uncomfortable to the patient and unsatisfactory from a hygienic point of view.

According to the present invention, a considerable improvement is obtained in this respect by the two bed portions being arranged for mutual change of their levels and by their being displaceable mutually in a manner such that the one portion of the bed will cover the other. The bed portion carrying the trunk of the patient is preferably displaceable forward over the bed portion carrying the legs of the patient, so that she may be conveniently moved forward into the short bed position, without her trunk having to be displaced.

The bed portion carrying the legs of the patient is preferably arranged to be lowered relatively to the trunk-carrying portion, so that the former may be lowered in its entirety in parallel to itself down beneath the level of the latter portion of the bed.

The trunk-carrying bed portion preferably is in the form of a carriage which may be readily displaced on its wheels into the desired positions, among which the ordinary bed position as well as the short bed position may be preferably ensured by means of self-locking locking members.

Beneath the leg-carrying bed portion there is preferably arranged a collecting bowl or the like which is common to both bed portions.

Furthermore, the trunk-carrying bed portion is provided, first, with foot supports which are adjustable and arranged also to be moved away into an entirely inoperative position so as not to form any obstacle, and, second, with handles which are likewise adjustable into different posi- 5 tions for use and are also adjustable into inoperative position.

Besides, the invention comprises certain constructions and combinations, which will be set forth more closely in the following in conection with the description .of a form of embodiment of the bed in view as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings.

Figs. 1-3 are perspective views in diagrammatic representation of the bed and of a patient lying thereon, these figures illustrating different positions in use. Fig. 4 is a side view of the frame of the bed. Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the frame of the bed. Fig. 6 is a side view of the trunk-carrying portion of the bed. Fig. 7 shows a plan view of this portion of the bed. Fig. 8 is a side view of the leg-carrying bed portion. Fig. 9 is a plan view of this bed portion. Fig. 10 is a plan view of a spring bottom removably arranged in the last mentioned bed portion. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a portion of the bed frame and the leg-carrying portion .of the bed. Fig. 12 shows, corresponding to Fig. 11, a modified construction of certain parts. Fig. 13 is a partly sectioned side view of a handle. Fig. 14 shows an end view of the handle. Fig. 15 shows a detail.

According to the embodiment shown, the bed frame comprises a pair of parallel side rods I supported by legs 2 which are provided with wheels 3, so that the bed may be moved conveniently. As mentioned hereinbefore, the trunkcarrying portion of the bed preferably is in the form of a carriage 4, which is provided with wheels 5 running on and guided by the side rods I (see Figs. 1-3 and 6 and 7). The carriage is provided with side rods 1 having dles 8 arranged thereon, said handles being preferably constructed in the manner shown in detail in Figs. 13 and 14. According to the said construction, each handle is provided with a sleeve or ring 23, the opening 33 of which has one of the rods 1 extending therethrough, which rod is provided with a guiding fillet 34 (Fig. 15) for a portion of the length thereof, for which fillet a recess 24 is provided in the ring of the handle. As long as the recess and the guiding fillet I 5 cooperate, the handle is kept adjusted in a vertical position for use (see Figs. 2 and 3), and is prevented from being unintentionally displaced along the rod by the fact that the edge of the opening 33 is set against the rod, when the patient makes use of the handle. In use, the handle is subjected to a certain bending effect, which causes the same to be automatically locked adjustable hanon the rod in the adjusted position. On the other hand, an intentional adjustment of the handle is obviously not prevented. When the handles are not being used, they may, on having been adjusted so that the recess 24 no longer cooperates with the guiding fillet 34, be swung down into inoperative position or fall off by themselves into this position, in which they are out of the way (compare Fig. 1).

Rods l (see Fig. 6) are displaceably introduced into the side rods 1 of the carriage 4, which rods, like the other rods pertaining to the bed, preferably consist of pipes, the free ends of said rods 1 carrying foot supports 9. As mentioned hereinbefore, these foot supports are adjustable and arranged, furthermore, to be moved away into entirely inoperative position so as not to become a hindrance (compare Fig. 1). The adjustment may take place both with respect to the positions of inclination of the foot supports and in regard to their distance from the trunk-carrying bed portion. In the first case, the foot supports are adjusted by being turned, and in the latter case the rods l are introduced or withdrawn more or less relatively to the rods 1. Looking in the position of adjustment is effected by means of suitable locking members. The foot supports are preferably covered with rubber or some similar material. If desired, the rods 1 may be swingably arranged in the horizontal plane so as to permit of being swung, together with the foot supports, outwardly in a lateral direction, in order that the width between the foot supports shall permit of being regulated.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the bed portion carrying the legs of the patient, which portion is designated by [9, is arranged to be lowered. To this end, pieces ll] of sheet metal or the like are secured to the side rods I, said pieces having mounted therein a shaft H extending crosswise beneath the bed, the one end (or both ends) of which shaft has a crank l2 secured thereto (see Figs. 1-3 and 11). Moreover, the shaft ll has secured thereto a rope pulley I3 in the proximity of each side of the bed, said pulley having two ropes l4 attached thereto. These ropes are extended over a pair of rollers l5 carried by rigid supports It or the like secured to the frame of the bed, for instance to the respective side rods I. Furthermore, the ropes 14 are extended about rollers ll mounted in supports l8 or the like on the bed portion I9 carrying the legs of the patient, said bed portion being suitably guided in a vertical direction relatively to the frame of the bed. The ends of the ropes are attached to the respective side rods I.

When the crank I2 is adjusted into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 11, the bed portion 19 is raised into a position corresponding to the ordinary bed position, that is to say, the bed portion I9 is situated on the same level as the bed portion 4. The crank is kept safely locked in said position by suitable locking members, so that the ropes I4 carry the bed portion in an entirely reliable manner. From this ordinary bed position it will be possible rapidly and conveniently to pass over to the bed position applied in normal delivery. It is only necessary to release the crank l2 and to swing the same downwardly, or to permit the same to be swung downwardly, from the position designated by a in Fig. 11 into the position denoted by b, the bed portion l9 being then lowered into the position shown in Fig. 2, which is specially adapted with respect to normal delivery. Here, the patient takes the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the carriage 4 alone carries the patient who grasps the handle 8 and bears with the feet of her withdrawn legs on the foot supports 9. The bed portion 19 then forms a receiving platform on a lower level for the new-born child.

In case the delivery does not proceed in the normal way, for instance at a sudden threatening suffocation of the foetus, when no time is left to move the patient over onto a special operating table for the application of forceps, or the physician is from the beginning aware of the fact that he has before him the presenting of the breech of the foetus, the short bed position illustrated in Fig. 3 is made use of. To pass over into this position, it is only required further to lower the bed portion I9, so that the carriage 4 may be moved freely forward over the said bed portion. The lowering is effected by the crank I2 being released and swung from the position b up into the position 0 (compare Fig. 11). After the carriage has been advanced, the patient is in the desired position immediately close by the foot end of the bed, where the physician and/or the accoucheuse generally have their places, and where instruments and the like are conveniently accessible on shelves and serving tables for this purpose. Obviously, the passing over from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3 does not cause the least difficulty or any inconvenience to the patient. Furthermore, the transition may take place rapidly, without the patient having to be displaced on the bed proper, which is an advantage from a hygienic point of view, inasmuch as one is then relieved of pulling the patient forward directly onto the bed portion carrying the legs of the patient, which bed portion has, perhaps, been contaminated by purgations and the like.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the carriage may be locked both in the ordinary bed position and in the short bed position. Such locking is preferably effected automatically, in that the carriage may be combined with latching members in the form of pawls or the like adapted in the said positions to snap into notches or the like in the side rods I of the bed.

The leg-carrying bed portion I9 is preferably constituted by an angle-iron frame (see Figs. 8 and 9), which may be provided with protecting plates on two opposite sides, which plates have for their object to screen oiT outwardly directed splash. Removably arranged in the angle-iron frame is a spring bottom 2| (Fig. 10) which is formed by parallel, spring-suspended leaf springs 22 or the like. A spring bottom of this type is convenient to clean and permits the passage of the purgations.

The purgations are collected in a collecting bowl 25 common to both bed portions, said bowl being arranged beneath the leg-carrying bed portion [9. This collecting bowl extends somewhat inwardly beneath the carriage 4 adjusted into ordinary bed position, the carriage 4 being provided, like the bed portion I9, with a spring bottom formed by parallel leaf springs 6 (see Fig. 7). That portion of this spring bottom which is located adjacent to the bed portion I9 is formed by a removable separate part 6*, which may be conveniently removed for cleaning. The collecting bowl 25 extends inwardly beneath this spring bottom part.

The bottom of the collecting bowl is preferably sloping toward an outflow opening, beneath which may be arranged a controlling vessel carried by the bowl, such as a graduated glass bottle, on which the quantity of blood and amniotic fluid may be read ofi both each per se and together, which is of great practical importance.

A shelf 26 for bandage material and the like supported by the legs 2 is arranged at the head end of the bed close by the end of the bedstead.

According to the foregoing, the leg-carrying bed portion 19 is adapted to be lowered, but it is obvious that the construction may be modified in such manner that the carriage 4 or the carrying portion of the same is so arranged as to permit of being raised, so that the carriage may be advanced freely over the leg-carrying bed portion, the level of which need not be changed in this case. Moreover, the lowering and the raising of the leg-carrying bed portion need not necessarily be efiected with the aid of ropes and pulleys, inasmuch as a link and lever system or the like may be used for this purpose. Fig. 12 illustrates an example of the construction of such a link and lever system. In the manner corresponding to the construction according to Fig. 11, sheet metal pieces l or the like are secured to the side rods l. One of these sheet metal pieces carries a pinion 35 which is in engagement with a toothed sector 36, which, in turn, is in mesh with a toothed sector 31. The two toothed sectors are arranged on shafts 38 and 39 extending crosswise beneath the legcarrying bed portion I 9, and are supported at their other ends by the other sheet metal piece Ii], in the proximity of which are arranged toothed sectors or levers secured on the shaft, which latter sectors or levers correspond to the toothed sectors 36 and 31. The latter are provided with arms 36* and 31*, the ends of which are pivotally connected with the lower ends of links 40, the upper ends of which are connected to the bed portion IS. The bed portion I9 is connected with the bed of the frame by means of guide links 4! or other suitable guiding members. The pinion 35 may be turned by means of a crank corresponding to the previously described crank l2, by means of which the bed portion l9 may obviously be lowered and raised in a manner corresponding to that which has been described hereinbefore. Therefore, the invention also comprises the modifications, stated hereinbefore, and is otherwise not limited to any definite detail constructions, inasmuch as these may evidently be varied in a number of ways, without the principle forming the basis of the invention being departed from thereby.

Furthermore, the bed in view is not solely serviceable as a delivery bed, but may be brought into use for gynaecological examinations and operations of diiferent kinds.

I claim:

1. Delivery bed, comprising a pair of bed portions, one of which is adapted to carry the legs and the other the trunk of the patient, means for vertically lowering the leg-carrying bed portion down below the level of the trunk-carrying bed portion while keeping it parallel thereto, and means for displacing the trunk-carrying bed portion forwardly over the lowered leg-carrying portion, and means for supporting the leg-carrying portion including link and lever systems and toothed gearings operating said systems in such a manner that said portion may assume three positions, the upper ordinary bed position, the intermediate position used in normal delivery as a receiving platform for a new born child and the lowermost position underlying the forwarded trunk carrying bed portion.

2. A delivery bed including a frame, a pair of bed portions one of which is adapted to carry the legs and the other the trunk of the patient, side plates depending from said frame adjacent the sides of the leg carrying bed portion, means for vertically lowering said leg carrying bed portion below the level of the trunk carrying bed portion while keeping the former parallel to the latter, means for displacing the trunk carrying bed portion forwardly over the lowered leg carrying portion, link and lever systems for supporting said leg carrying bed portion, and means including toothed gearings mounted on said side plates and operating said systems in such a manner that said portion may be lowered and raised.

3. A delivery bed including a frame, side plates depending from said frame, a pair of bed portions one of which is adapted to carry the legs and the trunk of the patient, means for supporting said leg carrying portion, wheels mounted on said trunk carrying portion and running on said frame whereby said portion is displaceable forwardly thereon, and means mounted on said side plates and cooperating with said supporting means for vertically lowering said leg carrying portion whereby it assumes three positions, an upper ordinary bed portion, an intermediate portion used in normal delivery as a receiving platform for a new born child and the lowermost position underlying the forwarded trunk carrying bed portion, the leg carrying portion remaining parallel to the trunk carrying portion in each position.

S'I'IG KARLSON. 

